Headstones & old perfume
by HumphreyBelcher
Summary: After the battle.
1. Chapter One - Stay happy there

_Crack!_

Harry stumbled a little on the grass. How strange to think that after everything that happened he still couldn't apparate without stumbling on his own feet. He looked around. The green hills gently filled his view, a light breeze flew through the top of the trees making them move slowly. But Harry's eyes were focusing elsewhere. In the distance, a little shadow in the low orange light cast by the setting sun made his heart skip a bit.

"I'm home". Home. It felt so strange. Hogwarts has always been the closest thing that he allowed himself to call home. It felt distant now. How could someone call home the castle now? After the battle? Hogwarts wasn't his home anymore. It was a graveyard. So many died there. Fred, Tonks, and Lupin died there. It was no home. Not anymore.

A little yellow spot appeared suddenly upon the dark silhouette of the Burrow. Harry smiled, despite the gloom. Maybe Ron was going to the bathroom, or maybe it was Mr. Weasley. Harry could imagine the scene: the thin man trying to not make any sound walking slowly down the stairs headed to the barn, where he hid some muggle artefact like an hairdryer or a microwave oven.

A gentle gust of wind made Harry shiver. Home. The Burrow had in fact been his home for seven years. He still remembered the first time he saw it, how much he loved it because it was a house filled with love and family dinners, with the twins trying new magic tricks and running from their mother, and lunches and breakfasts. The corners of his mouth bent upwards against his will, and his mind took off wandering into the realm of memories. Ron, Fred and George playing Exploding Snap on the carpet in the living room, Hermione jumping up and down waiting for the school owls to deliver the lists of new books they'd have to buy, Ginny sitting with her legs crossed on the chair beside the fireplace playing with Crookshanks. Ginny. His heart sunk. The brave, pretty Ginny. He saw her, with her face buried in his brother George's chest crying next to the cold body that once was Fred. He remembered how he wanted to hug her and kiss her in the entrance hall of the school, while he was going into the forest to meet his own end. How he forced himself not to touch her. The pride in her eyes when she fought among the other survivors in the Great Hall. The stolen kisses in the school grounds. The flowery smell of her hair. She was beautiful. Maybe she lit the light on before, maybe it was her. Harry looked again. The light was gone, the Burrow being just a darker spot in the dark night.

He could still remember himself talking to her, in the Gryffindor Common Room with Ron and Hermione.

"What?" said Ron "But why Harry? You've already destroyed the Elder Wand! Don't do other stupid things please, not now."

The fire was burning slowly, the day after the battle of Hogwarts. The dead had been moved, and everyone was doing their best to rebuild the castle, not without trying to erase the memories of what happened there.

"I need to go, Ron. I need to go back."

Harry didn't completely understand his friends. It was so hard to understand that he couldn't stay in the castle a minute longer? He looked out the window, trying to catch some detail of the Forbidden Forest but he could only see the reflection of the fire on the glass.

"Yes but why now?" asked Hermione. Her bushy hair cast a trembling shadow on the stone wall while she gets on her feet

"I'll come back as soon as I can Hermione, I promise." Leaving them killed him, after all, they've been through he knew this wasn't the right thing to do, but it had to be done.

"We need each other Harry" continued Hermione "We need you! After all, that happened you can't po-"

"I think you should go, Harry" It was Ginny. She was sitting on a pillow on the floor, her eyes still red, tears still running slowly down her cheeks. She wasn't looking at Harry, her eyes were focused on the dancing flames in the fireplace. "If you need to, you must go. We-" she sniffed "W-we'll be fine. Go where you need to go, just make sure you come back."

He looked at her. She was so pretty, even then. Even with her face torn by pain.

"Ginny, I…" he didn't know what to say.

"Just go," she said, still without looking at him "Go, and do what you have to do. Just make sure to come back."

Harry expected her to insist, to beg him to stay, not that he wanted her to but she sounded cold. Colder than Hermione when she asked him if this felt the right thing to do to him, colder than the look Ron gave him when he couldn't find the words.

How hard had it been? Leaving the three persons he loved the most for the second time. He remembered Ron shouting to Ginny, and Hermione trying to calm him down. He remembered the Portrait Hole closing. He remembered not looking back.

He ran through the corridors, down the stairs under his cloak.

He saw professor McGonagall and some other students lifting debris from the floor with their wands

"Like this, professor?" asked one of the students

"Yes, yes" answered McGonagall "Like that…"

A girl screamed "There's a body! No! No!"

Harry ran faster, followed by the echoes of Professor McGonagall voice "Boot take her away! Right now before…"

He couldn't bear it. He couldn't. All these people, they died because of him no matter what Ron, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley or anybody else could say. It was his fault. He ran through the grounds, he passed Hagrid's Hut. He saw the kind half-giant rolling some kind of band around one of the dog's legs. He stopped for a second. What he saw was not Hagrid's hut. It was Grawp, fast asleep in front of the house. Harry stared at the small giant belly going up and down like he was hypnotized. How much, how much had they lost? So many deaths. Sirius, Dumbledore, Lupin, Tonks, Fred. Harry hated himself, he should have run back to his friends and mourned with them. But he could not. He ran until his lungs collapsed, then slowly walked along the margin of the Forbidden Forest.

He reached the border of the school grounds, jumped to avoid the debris of the collapsed wall and disapparated.

It had been two weeks. Two weeks ago he left all that he had and went to Godric's Hollow. It was time to come back. But first, he needed to say goodbye. He gave another glance in the dark in the direction of the Burrow

"I'll come back soon. If you still want me"

Harry thought of Ginny before turning around and vanish into the night.

Probably the muggles in Godric's Hollow were used to the constant muffled cracks that they heard on a daily basis. But then again, the muggles of Godric's Hollow usually tend to forget all the strange things that happen in their village.

Harry appeared just outside the door of a little house, one of many others that looked almost the same, entered and gave his jacket to Kreacher.

"Master is back late. Perhaps master Harry would like some tea or a butterbeer?" asked the elf while folding the jacket and putting it on a chair  
"No thanks, Kreacher. I'll go to sleep. Tomorrow we're going back to the Burrow" said Harry before crashing on the sofa. Tomorrow? Who said tomorrow? Certainly not him, even though it was his voice.

"So Master has decided to go back? Kreacher can take care of Harry Potter, Harry Potter does not need to go anywhere" asked the little elf.

"Yes Kreacher" Harry replied. He made his decision. A decision that he made when he thought of his best friend and his family a few minutes earlier. He understood Hermione, now, her voice ringing in his ears "We need each other"

"I don't think we should stay here any longer. Two weeks can easily become a month. And months become years before your eyes. We'll go back."

The elf bowed "Can Kreacher do anything to help Master Harry leave?"

"Yes," Harry heard the elf's voice from far away, lost in his thoughts "Yes, Kreacher, do what you want."

The house elf bowed, hiding the smile on his face and closed the door.

The windows reflected some of the streetlights outside. Harry stared at the game of lights for a long time, waiting for the sleep to come.

He had to do only one more thing.

The morning came faster than ever and the bright sunlight woke up Harry rather early. He got up and went into the kitchen where Kreacher made breakfast. It felt strange. Harry never ate more than a toast but the house elf always cooked for five people.

Harry put on a jumper and went outside. The sun was warm but the air chilly. A few cars were going up and down the road. He put his hands in his pockets and walked towards the church.

The kissing gate was the same. It was weird. One would expect that every corner of the world would be torn apart by the war. But the house of his parents was still there, covered in ivy; Bathilda's house was the same too.

He walked among the tombstones until he reached his parent's.

Harry never felt so alone. Hermione was not there, and he closed his hand hoping to feel her warm touch, but only the air meet his skin. The flowers she conjured were still there, some of the petals were brown.

Harry sat down, in front of his parents. Everything he wanted to say seemed stupid.

He opened his mouth when a hand touched his shoulder

"You shouldn't come here alone mate"

Ron's voice was like a tonic. Harry looked up, but his two best friends were already sitting on the grass on his sides.

"Ron's right, Harry," said Hermione, "I told you, we must be together."

Harry was astonished "How...?"  
"Kreacher," said Ron simply, "He said you needed help"

"Kreacher" repeated Harry "How nice of him"

"So this are your parents" continued Ron, looking at the tombstones "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death' well" he looked to Harry and Hermione "We didn't defeat Death, but we got close"

They both laughed. And then they sit in silence.

Only after ten long minutes, Harry spoke: "How are things, I mean, at home?"

Ron sighed "We all miss Fred, but mum took it quite bad and…"

"…and everybody wants to see you Harry" finished Hermione, putting a hand on Ron's knee

"You know" said Harry "I was coming back today, last night I was on the hill near the Burrow, but I couldn't…I wanted to…but…"

"I thought I heard something," said Ron, "I thought I heard someone apparate in the distance"

"You turned the light on then?" asked Harry

"No. It must have been mum. She barely sleeps. Dad is worried, very worried. George stays in the store since the battle and he didn't send even a letter."

Harry nodded. He understood George. He understood Ron and his mother and everyone. But that only made him sad.

"How's Ginny?" asked quietly Harry

"You know perfectly well how she is," said Ron, trying to hide his anger without success  
"I know. I have so many things to explain to her."

"Yeah you have. You hurt her as if she wasn't suffering already enough"

"I missed her," said Harry, his voice lower than he wanted it to be

"You don't have to tell me" replied Ron "I'll let you two talk about your…" he swallowed "…your relationship but don't expect me to stay out of the way if you fight or she starts to cry or something mate"

Harry looked at Ron, and he saw his best friend, the brother of Ginny and how hard he was trying to accept that Harry and Ginny might be…well, something, if anything at all.

"Thanks, Ron"

Hermione was looking at the two of them smiling

"What's so funny?" asked Ron, frowning

"Oh, nothing" replied Hermione "Just that I don't think you'd have to hit Harry if he's fighting with Ginny. "

"She's right Ron," said Harry "Ginny would hit me. Hard."

"You bet," said Ron

"We missed you too, by the way," said Hermione putting an arm around Harry's shoulder

"Yeah mate," said Ron. He seemed distant, even though he was clearly trying to hide it

"Then I think we should go," Harry said, suddenly.

"Good, " said Hermione "Let's go then"

They stood up, walked away from the Potter's tombstones and headed home.

"What…?" Harry turned around quickly. He noticed something with the corner of his eye, like a reflection in mid-air, a twinkle.

"Harry what's up?" asked Hermione, a few steps ahead.

"Nothing, nothing I'm coming" Harry said, and he hurried towards his friends.

* * *

"I told you, Sirius. Stand. Still."

"Come on, it's Harry!"

"He must not see us"

The pale, transparent red hair of Lily Evans was just a reflection of the beautiful dark red that they were, still in the wind.

"He's grown up," said James Potter , holding his wife's hand

Lily looked at the spot where the three disapparated "We've missed so much James, our son's a man and we'll never be there for him" Tears filled her eyes as James held her closer "We'll never see him again"

"He's alright now, Lily," said Sirius "He's a great wizard and even a greater person. His friends will help him heal"

"Don't worry" said James "He knows we love him, and he'll be ok. I believe that. Besides" he added subtle smile "This Ginny Weasley, she looks like a nice girl"

Lily laughed despite the tears "Easy there Potter"

"Yeah right that's my sister you're talking about!"

"Yes Fred," said Lily "But she and Harry share something special. They just need to understand it"

"Sirius Harry had almost seen you" added Fred ginning "Nice one, but maybe if we go to the Burrow we can make a few things fly around and scare someone…even George"

Sirius looked at James excited before Lily interrupted them

"We can't, Fred," she said sweetly "We shouldn't even be there"

And the now formless shapes faded away in the wind, slowy like those long forgotten memories that have the bad habit to come back to mind when least expected.

* * *

The coffee maker was hissing on the fire, Harry was looking at the thin stream of steam flowing into the air through the tiny opening on the top of it. After he, Ron and Hermione went back to the Burrow they just stood in in the kitchen for what could have been days.

Everything was like the last time. The untidy kitchen filled with pots and dishes, the table was covered with fresh laundry and an iron was trying to flatten a shirt in mid-air.

"Mom is with dad, he took her to Diagon Alley. Ginny should be here, though"

"She needs you, Harry. Oh, Ron" snapped Hermione, at the sight of Ron's face "Stop it! Ginny is old enough to make her own decisions . And you said you'd let them talk"

"Well I know but I also said I would have gotten in the way, Hermione! And I will!" started Ron

"I know," said Harry. All the time he spent to think about what he should say, and now his mind was empty.

"I know" he repeated "I must work things out with her. But the situation is-"

"Don't blame it on the situation!" Harry jumped. Ron was angry "Don't you dare blame it on 'the situation'! You could've to stay with her! With us!"

"I told him he could go Ron"

Ginny entered the kitchen, still in her pyjamas.

"Hi," said harry, raising his hand. She didn't say anything.

"Stay out of this, Ron" kept saying Hermione "Please…" gripping her hands around Ron's arm

"I never meant to hurt you, Ginny," said Harry, leaning on the stove. It was like he needed to be held up. He looked at her, something wasn't right.

"I never meant to hurt anyone, but I needed to go to Godric's Hollow. I needed to spend some time where I was born. I needed to stay with my family. I needed closure. I felt the urge to feel something"

"Like we don't make you feel anything." Ginny was almost screaming but her voice was colder than ever "Your feelings, your needs. Only you Harry! You're not the only one who lost someone!"

She runs upstairs. Ron was red "I swear this is the last time-"

"Please let me try to talk to her," said Harry "You can punch me if you want, but please let me try to talk to her first"

Ron nodded, and Hermione loosened the grip on his arm.

"Thanks," said Harry, and he walked out of the kitchen, up the stairs to Ginny's room.

He knocked "Can I come in?"  
She didn't answer, he opened the door

Her room was tidy as it's always been. Pictures of Quidditch players flying on their broomsticks were hung on the wall. The curtains were drawn, but light filtered through some cracks in the fabric hitting Ginny's hair, making them shine.

"Ginny, I need to talk to you," Harry said as he entered the room.

She was sitting on her bed. She wasn't crying but looked at Harry with rage.

"Some things are better left unsaid, Harry," she said rather stiffly.

"I know. But I need you to know. I need you to know everything. You can judge me, but please, listen to me."

She nodded slowly as he sat on the bed next to her.

"I needed to go because I don't have what you have. I saw you before I went into the forest, surrounded by your family. I envied you so much, Ginny"

He looked deeply into her eyes "You could mourn together. I needed my parents, as you needed yours. "

"You could have stayed. I would have been there for you Harry. I know I told you to go but I wanted you to stay"

"I know," said Harry "I missed you, but I had my reasons to leave"

She got up "I missed you too Harry! I missed you so much it felt like breathing! And you ran away! Right, when we could've stayed together!"

Ginny was pacing up and down the room "I could've come with you. I would've come with you no matter what. I don't care about your mission. I was there and you went away."

"Ginny pleas-"

"No!"

She went out of the room and downstairs.

"What the hell!?" shouted Ron. Ginny was now crying into Hermione's arms. Harry was halfway down the stairs when Ron got between them

"WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?"

"Ron please cal-" said Hermione, almost begging him

"No! He left her! Hermione, where was him when we cried over Fred's body? Where was him when we helped to move all the bodies out of the school?"

Harry understood immediately what Hermione was going to say, tears streaming down her face too

"No Hermione it's fine, he's right there's no need t-"

"You left us too. You left me too, Ron"

Something inside Ron seemed to break. In a second, there was no rage in his eyes.

" It was…it was the locket…I would've never-"

"Harry," said fiercely Ginny, wiping her eyes "You needed to stay on your own. There was no dark magic involved in your decision" she took a deep breath "Tell me the truth. Am I not enough? You prefer to stay alone because you don't think that I'd be able to help you? Tell me now, I rather feel bad now than live with this doubt"

So it was this. Harry hated himself like he had never had before. How could he make her think something like that?

For the first time in days he knew what to say, and despite everything, he couldn't keep himself from smiling. Ron and Hermione looked at him like he was mad.

"Are. You. Mental." Asked Ron, but Hermione hit him with her elbow and hissed "Shut up!"

Ron looked like a buldger hit him hard on the head.

Harry got closer to Ginny and beamed at her. She was flabbergasted

"Ginny," he said in a low voice as he took her hands and wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb

"You think you're not enough for me? You are everything."

Ron's jaw could've easily touched the floor, Hermione was smiling.

"That's what I wanted to tell you. I may be not enough for you, but…it's you"

Ginny gave him a watery smile.

"I wanted you to know that it has always been you. All the time I spent looking at the Marauder's map just to see your name. You were in my mind the second before Voldemort's curse hit me in the forest." He put his hand on his heart "You've always been here. Even during this two weeks, when they felt like two years."

"B-but" muttered Ginny, but Harry spoke

"This is not an excuse. I wasn't there when you needed me the most. But no matter what, do not think for even a second that you're not enough for me. I love you, Ginny. You'll forever be enough"

And he threw his arms around her holding her as close as he could. He wanted her to know that despite the miles between them he always held her in his heart. He held her as he wanted to hold her when he was going into the forest. After an instant of hesitation, she hugged him back, stronger than ever.

And they kissed. Harry had never felt so bad and so good at the same time. Good because, well, Ron still hadn't abruptly interrupted them . But he felt guilty for leaving. The salty taste of her tears made his heart ache like anything before, but the warmth of her body made him feel alive for the first time in a long time

"Harry" whispered Ginny "I'm sorry"

"Don't. I am, and I'll always be. But don't apologize, Ginny. You don't have to."

"Merlin's pants! " shouted Ron.

Harry and Ginny turned around to see Ron trying to pick up the hot coffee maker.

"Don't worry, I got it" said Hermione taking her wand out of her jean's pocket. The coffee pot flew on the stove with a quick movement of her hand.

"Come on, Ron," she said, "I think we should leave them alone. Harry and Ginny were looking at each other, their foreheads touching.

Hermione and Ron went outside the kitchen, but their words echoed in the room "I don't understand Ron. Be happy for them, really. They're in love. It's not just a crush. I don't understand, really. It's Harry, not some stranger…"

Their voices faded as they walked outside the Burrow, but the open window in the living room carried Ron's words

"I guess I am happy for them" he replied, " I think I just need time to get used to this"

Harry and Ginny chuckled before their lips met again.


	2. Chapter Two - Forgive and forget

I think the story is starting to take shape. Well, at least in my head. I don't exactly know where I'm going to go with this but get ready for awkward romantic scenes.

As always, if you have any suggestions, feel free to spam me with your thoughts!

* * *

Mrs. and Mr. Weasley arrived later that evening.

Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry, asking him where he'd been and if he came back to stay. She let him go only after Harry managed to say something resembling a "Y-yes"

Then Mr. Weasley, after cleaning his robes from the ash with his hands, looked at Harry "Glad to see you, Harry. Everything's good?"

"Yeah, it should be" answered Harry, smiling awkwardly. Arthur Weasley was always nice and polite, but he always managed to understand the contexts, and before anyone could suspect anything, he was aware of what was happening around.

It had been an awful half hour. The living room already felt too small, and It started to get bad when Hermione started a monologue about how going back to school would be great, and it only got worse when Mrs. Weasley suddenly burst into tears.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went into the kitchen while Ginny stayed with her mother.

"So," asked Harry "When…when Fred's funeral is due?"

Ron looked at his feet, so Hermione answered with a sniff "It should be the next month or so, Kingsley said that at the moment the Ministry is very busy but he wanted an appropriate ceremony for everyone that fought and died,"

W-we shouldn't think about this you know?" said Ron "Fred, he…you know what he would say: 'it's done, now go have to fan idiots'"

Harry smiled, he could easily imagine Fred telling them to stop trying to feel worse and just think about something else.

"What about the others? Percy, Charlie, and Bill?" he asked , with the intention to lead the conversation in happier places

"Oh Bill and Fleur are at Shell Cottage," said Ron "While Charlie is back in Romania, and Percy is at the Ministry. He lives in London now." He added "I bet that this way he can keep working even when he shouldn't"

"How romantic," said Hermione, ecstatic

"What?" replied Ron, bewildered, "You think it's romantic to work too much and annoy other people?"

"No, Ron," said Hermione condescending, "I was talking about Bill and Fleur. They had a baby and they're living their own life"

"Bill and Fleur had a baby?" Harry almost fell from the chair "That's great! What do we know?"  
"It's a girl," said Ron "And I think they're going to name her with some stupid French name-"

"French is an awesome language, Ron," said Hermione.

Ron looked at Harry, as he was saying "If-you-say-so" and made him laugh.

Hermione gave Ron a playful cuff on the back of his head.

"We should go visit them, "said Harry, "We should definitely go."

"Visit who?" asked Ginny's voice

"Bill and Fleur." answered Ron "How's mom?"

"Like always." Replied Ginny while taking a seat beside Harry "Dad took her upstairs"

He put his hand on her's.

"They said they'll probably go to Charlie's soon." She added "He invited mom and dad in Romania to distract them"

"How nice of him," said Hermione "It will help, you know, going away"

"Hey, you lot," said Mr. Weasley as he entered the room "I don't think your mom will be helpful with the dinner"

"We can help, Mr. Weasley," said Harry, "No problems"

They all tried to help cooking, but after almost an hour nothing edible was ready. Cooking wasn't Hermione strength, and the Weasleys had never actually had to cook anything because Mrs. Weasley always did everything herself. Harry managed to cook some bacon and eggs, but nothing more

"Ask Kreacher," said finally Ron, throwing a burnt frying pan into the kitchen sink.

"Kreacher!" called Harry "Why didn't we think about him an hour ago, I'm starving"

With a loud crack the old, little elf appeared in the middle of the room "Master called Kreacher?"

"Yes, Kreacher please," said Harry pointing at the stove with his finger "Can you cook something?"

"Kreacher will cook" he answered, and as he jumped on a chair to reach the table, he snapped his fingers making ingredients, dishes and knives fly around."

"I think we should leave him alone," said Ron, dodging a knife "It's better if he can work with nobody around him"

"I'll go check on your mother," said Mr. Weasley

Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione went into the living room and sit on the sofa

"I think we should find something to do in the next days," said Hermione "You know, to keep us busy"

"We could play Quidditch," said Ron

"I'd like to go to the Ministry," said harry, "we could meet Kingsley and ask about the Auror department and…"

"You're not going back to school, are you?" asked Hermione, sounding incredibly like McGonagall

"Oh, we are not," said Ron "What good could it be? To get in other troubles? We've had enough troubles for a lifetime or two"

"Well, I'm going" replied Hermione, looking at Ron as if he said that he would really like to jump off a cliff and learn to fly without a wand "And Ginny is coming with me, right Ginny?"

"I think so," said her "I mean, I wanted to stay with you" she looked at Harry

"I think we'll work something out. We'll see each other on Hogsmeade's weekends and during holidays, and who knows? Maybe McGonagall will allow me to enter the school from time to time"

Ginny smiled at him "It would be great"

"What?!" snapped Ron

"You would come visit me too, right?" said Hermione, angry

"Yes I would, but why do you have to look at me that way?"

"Oh, you mean the way I look at you when you don't care about what I think or feel, Ronald!? This way?!"

"Ehm-we'll leave you two alone, ok?" said Harry

Ron and Hermione were so busy arguing that they didn't even notice Ginny and Harry leaving the room, or Kreacher announcing that the dinner was ready.

"Thanks, Kreacher," said Ginny "We'll take something to eat outside, alright?"

"Whatever miss Weasley says" replied Kreacher, handing them some steak and kidney pie and two butter beers

Harry and Ginny walked for a while, searching for a nice place to sit down until they decided that the barn would be the best place. They sat down on the grass with their backs against the wall. The sun was setting, almost disappearing behind the orange-flood hills. The chilly air and the flowery smell Harry was so fond of made him smile

"What's so funny?" asked Ginny, taking a sip from her bottle

"Nothing. Remember in the sixth year? Well, Slughorn made a cauldron of Amortentia, and Hermione said that it smelled differently for every one of us, and I smelled…well, this smell of flowers and grass that made me think of you."

"You were _so_ hung up on me, Harry, and you didn't even know"

Harry smiled. The breeze was making Ginny's hair dance on her shoulders, and he put his arm around her back.

He looked night sky was filled with thousands of little shining stars, barely visible in the crimson light of the sunset.

"I'm glad we put this two weeks behind."

"Oh, I'm still mad at you," she said "You're just lucky that you said that you loved me at the right time"

"Now that I think about it, you didn't answer" he replied, pretending to be both angry and sad

"You'll have to earn my words Potter," she said and blinked at him

"I'll do my best"

"So" he added after a while "Going back to school. We only have a few months to spend together"

"You don't know? Didn't Hermione told you"

"Told me what?"

"School starts next year, not this September"

"How do you know?"

"Hermione sent a letter to McGonagall, asking her"

"She is restless, I can't blame Ron too much"

"I bet she smelled Dungbombs when you were in Slughorn's class"

Harry almost choked on his steak and kidney pie

"I-I…I mean," he said, coffing his lungs out "They always got into fights when they weren't together, now things can only get worse"

She kissed him lightly on the lips "We'll make sure to get out of the way"

And they sat there in silence for hours, sometimes talking, but mostly in silence, looking at the now dark sky.

After all they've been through, it felt like heaven. The stars were blinking lazily. For the first time in a very long time they did what teenagers were supposed to do: thinking about themselves, mending their hearts while grown-ups dealt with the problems of the real world. And, besides, who said that learning to love and growing up isn't a problem of the real world? Maybe grown ups just forget what they've been through, how much a simple hug can help, how much unspoken words a kiss can carry. But then, Harry thought looking at Ginny, growing up and growing old are two different things. What would he do? Could he start is Auror career without finishing the seventh year at Hogwarts? Will they forget the pain and the heartache, the unbearable feeling of discomfort that comes along burying friends that once made you laugh?

Ginny got closer to him, putting her head on his shoulder "I missed you, Harry" she whispered.

He didn't answer, there was no need to. He looked at her and moved her hair from her forehead placing them behind her ear. He didn't know it yet, but in his mind, a thought was taking shape. The thought that if he had to grow old, well, she was the one that he wanted to grow old with.

The living room window lit up in the dark, even thought nor Harry or Ginny noticed, as Arthur Weasley walked downstairs. He was holding a little wooden tray, with some dirty dishes on it. It was the first time in a while that Molly ate something. Maybe, he thought, it was the presence of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, or maybe time was starting to do it's magic, numbing the pain.

He stopped when he saw Ron and Hermione asleep on the sofa. He looked at his son, fast asleep with his hand touching Hermione's fingers. His son was growing up, and Hermione could help him so much. They looked peaceful as if each other warmth kept demons away.

"Oh, to be young" Mr. Weasley smiled and took the tray in the kitchen. He put in into the sink and looked around. The room was as clean and tidy as it had never been in years, Kreacher did an amazing job and Arthur made sure to remember to thank him the morning. He put some water on the fire and brewed some tea. He didn't feel like to sleep. He had a carefully folded letter in his pocket, but he waited for the tea to be ready before opening the parchment. George gave him the letter that very morning, a letter that Fred wrote before the battle

"I wrote one too, but I don't think I'll ever let someone read it," he said while handing Mr. Wealey his brother's one "Just don't show it to mom now. Wait a while, wait until she feels better"

He didn't say anything more, he closed the door of the shop before Mrs. Weasley could notice something. Not that he said much more during their visit to the store. It was still closed, and even though Verity and Angelina were trying to cheer George up and convince him to open the store, George looked like he didn't care about anything anymore

"It'll get better," said Angelina, looking over her shoulder towards George "He just needs time".

"Come on Arthur, let's go back home" Moly was calling him because he stared at the closed door, speechless for what could've been hours, thinking that conversation with Angelina Jhonson he had minutes earlier.

Mrs. Wealey's voice made him come back to the world

"I'm coming, sorry Molly, dear" and they started walking back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

And now, he was there, sitting at the table where Fred sat so many times. He and his brother, always sitting next each other, always trying to prank someone, cracking jokes or whispering among themselves about who knows what.

All the letters he and Molly received from the school about the twins behavior, now he smiled thinking about those, but how angry those very letters made him, just a few years back. He thought of his son's lifeless body, of that ghost of his last laugh so harshly painted on his pale face. A single tear ran down his cheek. He was almost surprised, he was sure he didn't have any more tears to cry. The tea was starting to get cold. He took another sip, trying to find the courage to read the letter. He took his glasses out of his pocket, wore them, pushed them with his finger to make them fit on his nose and started to read.

 _Hi dad, hi mom_

 _If you're reading this it means that something bad happened to me and that George gave this letter to you._

 _While I'm writing this, we're getting ready to air another Radio Potter episode. I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. We're going to fight, I can feel it and we'll lose someone for sure. You'll lose someone, and for how much I hope that I'll be able to say this to you in person, I do not feel like to go against luck so much. I love you, and no, I won't apologize for all the trouble we caused you because it had been a wild ride and I'm proud of what I and George accomplished (outside the school)_

 _Well, I keep forgetting that if you're reading this I won't be there, so stop crying, right now._

 _Try to not think about me too much, I promise I won't take it personally._

 _PS: there's a box hidden in our room. Please, let Georgie take care of it if you want to keep all your limbs attached to your body._

 _Fred_

Arthur was smiling. How could he be laughing? It was his dead son's letter, and he was laughing. He read again the letter, trying to find a reason to feel guilty, a line that he skipped while reading, where Fred tells them all about how much he fears to die, how much he's missing his parents. Nothing. Fred heritance was just a warning about a box he and his brother left in their room. He smiled again. What was wrong with him? Nothing apparently.

He thought of all the time spent chasing those two around the garden or looking at them, slightly tired while Molly yelled at them for something they did or get caught in the process of doing.

His son was gone, and yet, he wrote those words, and Arthur was sure, Fred faced his death as he faced everything else in his life, with courage and a laugh.

He felt the weight on his chest lifting a little, his son was a grown man and he knew what the dangers were when he entered the school for the last time. And, thought Arthur, he had his family to look after. George, Ginny, Charlie, Bill, Ron, and Molly needed his help, now more than anything.

He was starting to read the letter another time when he heard the door open.

Harry and Ginny entered the Burrow holding hands, with sleepy eyes. Mr. Wealey put quickly the letter in his pocket before the two noticed him.

As soon as their eyes met, Harry and Ginny put their hands as far as possible from each other, blushing.

Arthur decided to let them believe he didn't see anything, even though he'd been suspecting something for almost two years.

"Oh, hi dad," said Ginny, "We were just wondering around"

"I couldn't sleep neither," said Mr. Wealey "Want some tea?"

"Not for me thanks, I'm going to sleep," said Ginny, and she hurried upstairs

"I'd like ,some," said Harry, even though he was really tired. He sat in front of Mr. Weasley and poured himself a cup of tea.

It wasn't the first time Harry and Mr. Weasley talked, but before he was more "Ron's father" than "Ginny's father" and talking about Malfoy's plans seemed easy if compared to this moment. Plus, Harry didn't' exactly know why he decided to have some tea, he was tired after all. Maybe he thought, he just didn't want to go to sleep because his brain used to play with him, producing nightmares that haunted him since after the battle. Or maybe he just didn't want Mr. Weasley to think he was going with Ginny…well, anywhere.

"Harry, have you thought about your birthday?"asked suddenlyMr. Weasley, not just to keep the conversation away from what he saw earlier, but also because he spoke with Kingsley about the matter at work

"My birthday?" repeated Harry, "Why does it matter? I mean, I don't want anything. No presents, no party no nothing"

"I thought you might say something like this" sad Mr. Weasley, smiling at Harry "But you see, it's not so easy. Kingsley thought that your birthday would be the perfect occasion to bring all of us together, you know, Andromeda, Aberforth, the Order members and those who fought by your side that night. I know" he interrupted Harry, who had opened his mouth, astonished and quite angry " I know, you don't want any of this. And I agree with you, even Kingsley was afraid to ask you something like this. But try not to think about how hard it would be for you, not that I'm saying that it's not important," he added quickly, "But think about how good it will be to anyone to reunite and celebrate with you. I think it's something people needs before they can start again with their lives, and you need this too, more than anyone."

Harry looked at his teacup for a while before answering "Ok. I guess you're right, but I don't know what I'll be able to say, or, do"

Arthur Weasley smiled at the young boy sitting in front of him, thinking about the words he read before, how simple Fred's letter was and how his simple, playful words hit him "You know, Harry, sometimes even the most simple thought can go a long way. Nobody expects you to talk for the entire celebration, just say what you feel it's worth saying, and it'll be enough"

Harry finished his tea with a long sip, embarrassed by the way Mr. Weasley was talking to him.

He stuttered "I'll…Thanks, I'll keep this in mind. I'm really tired now…"

"Go to bed," said Mr. Weasley "Oh, Harry, please," he added before he could stop himself "Make sure that, at least for tonight, it's _your_ bed". Harry nodded and run upstairs to hide his red face. Ron's bed was still empty, but he entered the room trying not to make a sound anyway, maybe because it was a habit he took at school because of all the wandering around at night for six years, maybe because the last words of Mr. Weasley made him much more aware of his surroundings than ever before.

He was, Harry thought, the man who raised Fred and George after all.


End file.
